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A weekly series dedicated to anything that fits on a piece of bread. We deconstruct a different sandwich each week – from Mexican tortas to Lebanese pita kebabs to lobster guédilles – and tell you where to find it and what goes into making it. This week: Pan bagnat, $13, at La Buvette par Apollo at Plage de L’Horloge

MONTREAL - Here’s a taste of midi on the Midi. The translation of pan bagnat in southern French dialect is wet bread, and the idea of this classic Provençal sandwich is that some of the juices from the fillings soak into the bun. While it is miles from the Mediterranean coastline, Montreal’s new urban beach – on the eastern edge of the Old Port – does have white sand, sun umbrellas and lounge chairs with gorgeous views of the city. (No swimming, though, so you’ll have to content yourself with the outdoor sprinkler.) At on-site food concession La Buvette, conceived by chef Giovanni Apollo, you can get a light meal and a glass of rosé from Provence.

This mayo-free tuna sandwich, essentially salade Niçoise on a bun, is designed to be simple and summery, according to Ludovic Cancellata, Apollo’s head of sales and marketing. “The pan bagnat is something you’ll often be able to get from the little stalls that line the beach in Nice,” says Cancellata, who grew up not far away in the port city of Marseille.

The bread: The round white bun (A) is from Montreal’s Boulangerie L’Épicurien.

The spread: Many of the elements that go into Nice’s namesake salad are found here. Canned tuna (B) might seem like a modern adaptation, but tuna conserved in oil actually goes back to the ancient Greeks. Black olives bring a salty edge, sliced hard-boiled eggs add creaminess, along with tomato, radish, fresh bell peppers for crunch, and arugula for a flash of green. The addition of Italian-style pesto (C) (which in this part of the Mediterranean would be pistou, and typically made without pine nuts and cheese) brings basil and garlic flavours. It comes with a side of chips (D).

The secret: The public beach is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (later for fireworks), and on weekends only through September. There’s a $6 admission fee, so add that to your restaurant tab.

La Buvette par Apollo, Plage de L’Horloge (Clocktower Beach), on Quai de L’Horloge at the Old Port (no phone).

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